Refrigerator and display case



July 2, 1929. R. TROJAHN REFRIGERATOR AND DISPLAY CASE Filed Aug. 18,1927 s Sheets-Sheet 2 u gnuentot Raberi @qjdivv.

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July 2, 1929. R. TROJAHN REFRIGERATOR AND DISPLAY CASE '3 She etS-Sheet3 Filed Aug. 18. 1927 M. M M

Patented July 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,119,525 PATYEINT OFFICE.

ROBERT TBOJ'AH'N, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

REFRIGERATOR AND DISPLAY CASE.

Application filed August 18, 1927. Serial No. 218,844.

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerators, articularlythose in combination with disp ay features.

A prime object of this inventionis to provide a refrigerator wherein acontinuous circulation of brine is brought about by the raising andlowering of the temperature of the brine, thereby producing a siphonresult, the cold brine flowing downward thereby forcing the warm brineinto the upper chamber, therefrigerant liquid passing through the brinecontainers in the ordinary manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a suitable head ackinggland for the purpose of allowing or the expansion and contraction ofthe refrigerant tubes which pass through the brine containers.

A further object of this invention is to provide a combinationrefrigerator and display case, having, preferably, the freezlng portionin the bottom of the case, thereby greatly economizing in the spacerequiredor the device.

Other objects of this invention will appear from the following detaileddescription of the device and as disclosed in the three sheets ofdrawings which are herewith made a part of this application.

In the drawings- Figure 1' illustrates a perspective view of therefrigerator and display case, with portions broken away, disclosing thedifferent elements in operative and assembled relationship.

Figure 2 represents the receiving end view of the brine solutioncontainers disclosing the refrigerant tubes and the thermo-siphon devicein assembled relationship thereto.

Figure 3 illustrates the return end view of 40 the brine solutioncontainers disclosing the refrigerant liquid tubes in assembledrelationship thereto and the relative position of the return end of thethermo-siphon arrangement.

Figure' i illustrates a sectional view of the receiving endof one of thebrine solution containers disclosing the gland head, the packing glandand packing element in assembled relationship with the refrigerant tubefor the purposeof allowing the expansion and contraction thereof.

Figure 5 represents asectional view of a brine solution containerdisclosing the relative position therein of the refrigerant tube. 55Numeral 1 designates a container adapted for use as a refrigerator wallin combination with certain members 2 arranged for the purpose ofdisplaying articles which may be placed in the container for cooling,-itbeing understood that the display members combined with the container 1may be of any desirable type such as glass elements set in suitableframes.

In the embodiment of the invention herewith described and claimed thestorage chamber or container 1 is of an elongated type adapted'to havein its front wall transparent members, such as glass 2, preferably ofthree thicknesses, and the rear wall of the chamber 1 is provided withsuitable panels having hinged and sliding features and fitted with aplurality of thlcknesses of glass or cork insulation as may be desired.

In the refrigerator, according to this invention, the re rigerantelements are located in such a manner that an even temperature ismaintained within the show case. This advantage is brought about by anarrangement of the brine solution containers and the refrigerant tubespassing therethrough within that part of the display case ordinarily thewarmest, which is the uppermost part of the show case, heat, of course,rising. In the arrangement of the refrigerant elements disclosed inFigure 1, the brine solution container 3 is located at the uppermostpoint in the display case while the cooperating brine solutioncontainers 4 and 5 are positioned at a suitable distance below themember 3, usually determined-by the size of the display space within thecontainer 1. Obviously, any number of refrigerant elements, such as 3, 4and 5, may be installed within the container or chamber 1 depending uponthe size of the apparatus, temperature required or other limitingfeatures without affecting the merits of this invention.

In order to obtain a uniform temperature within the space, it ispreferred to extend the refrigerant liquid tubes 6 through the up- 100per or top portion of the brine solution containers 3, 4 and 5, asclearly disclosed at 7,

8 and 9, the refrigerant liquid, such as ammonia, carbonic gas or othersuitable liquid, is adapted to flow through the refrigerant 105 tubes 6from anysuitable source, and circulates b mechanical means orcompression throng the brine solution container, and the by-passes 10and 11, delivering to the compressor or other suitable device throughoutlet section 12, it being understood that an type of refrigeratingcirculation means, suc as an absorption system, may be utilized.

In order to allow for the expansion and contraction of the refrigeranttube 6 as it passes through and into the brine solution containers, ahead gland 13, made of sultable material, is sweated or welded to anopen end of the brine solution container as clearly disclosed in Figure4. The refrigerant tube 6 is adapted to slidably extend through anopening in the head end 13, the opemng being preferably located so as toallow the refrigerant tube to pass through the brine solution container3 in the top portion thereof. A packing gland 14 is ada ted to bemounted upon the tube 6 and suita 1y fastened to the head end 13 bymeans of stud bolts 15 or other suitable fastening elements. The packinggland 14 is provided with a notched portion 16 for the purpose ofreceiving packing material 18, the notched portion 16 1n the packinggland 14 cooperating with extending shoulder portion 18 from the headend 13 in such a manner that an eficient packing or sealing effect isbrought about between the refrigerant tube 6 and the packing gland 14,at the same time allowin freedom of movement in its expansion ancontraction due to the difierent temperatures. It is to be understoodthat packing glands and head ends similar to those disclosed in Figure 4are located at each end of the brine solution containers 3, 4 and 5. N

In order to take advantage of the fact that the warm brine has atendency to rise and the cold brine to drop, a thermo-siphon arrangementis preferred for this invention, wherein, at the receiving end of therefrigerating element as disclosed in Figure 2, suitable tubular members19, 20 and 21 are brought into 0 en communication with the lower portionof the brine liquid containers in such a manner that the cold brineliquid, being first cooled in the bottom of the top container 3, willfunction to start the thermo-siphon circulation and flows downwardthrough the tubular elements 19, 20 and 21 and into the lower portionsof the cooperating containers 4 and 5; the cooled liquid at the bottomof the containers 4 and 5 will tend to force the warmer brine from theopposite end through tion while cooling.

In operation, this invention provides a.

combined refrigerator and display case in which the cooling effects areuniform throughout the display space within the container. Thisadvantageis brought about through a novel arrangement of therefrigerating members, the brine solution containers being arrangedwithin the display space so that 9.

thermo-siphon effect is obtained for the continuous circulation of thebrine solution without mechanical means, and the refrigerant tubes arelocated in the upper portions of, the brine liquid containers in orderto obtain the greatest cooling elfect possible.

One of the prime advantages in this invention is in the large reductionof expense for manufacture, coils, turn bends and excessive piping beingeliminated in the structure as herewith described and claimed, a minimumnumber of straight pipes or tubes being required, which are easilywelded and connected together making a solid continuous pipe throughout.

It is to be understood that substitutions and alterations may be made inthe above dis closure within the scope of the appended claims withoutaffecting the merits of this invention.

W hat I claim is 1- 1. A refrigerator having a storage chamber, a devicefor cooling the chamber consisting of a plurality of outer containersarranged therein for holding a brine solution and for providing acontinuous circulation of brine solution therebetween, refrigerant tubesextending through the containers, means for forming a thermo-siphoneffect for maintaining a continuous circulation of brine liquid.

2. A refrigerator having a storage chamber, a device for cooling thechamber consisting of a plurality of outer containers arranged thereinfor holding a brine solution, refrigerant tubes extending through thecontainers, means for forming a thermo-siphon efi'ect for maintaining acontinuous circulation of brine liquid, consisting of members forbringing the lower portions of one end of the containers in opencommunication with each other so that the cold brine solution will flowdownward from the upper container to the lower containers and out fromthe opposite end of the containers upwardly through members arranged inopen communication with the upper portions of said opposite ends of thecontainers, thereby forming a continuous flow of the brine solution dueto the fall 8f the cool brine andthe rise of the warm rme.

a plurality of outer containers arranged therein for holding a brinesolution and for providing a continuous circulation of brine solutiontherebetween, refrigerant tubes ex tending through the containers, meansfor forming a thermo-siphon effect for maintaining a continuouscirculation of brine liquid,

means for allowing for the expansion and contraction of the refrigeranttubes.

4. A refrigerator having a storage chamber, a device for cooling thechamber consisting of a plurality of outer containers ar- 3.Arefrigeratorhavinga storage chamber, 7 a device for cooling the chamberconsisting of ranged therein for holding a brine solution and forproviding a continuous circulation of brine solution therebetween,refrigerant tubes extending through the containers, means for forming athermo-siphon effect for maintaining a continuous circulation of brineliquid, means for allowing for the expansion and contraction of therefrigerant tubes, consisting of suitably formed head portions for theends of the brine solution containers, an opening in the head portionsfor slidably re ceiving the refrigerant tubes.

5. A refrigerator having a storage chamber, a device for cooling thechamber consisting of a plurality of outer containers arranged thereinfor holding a brine solution and for providing a continuous circulationof brine solution therebetween, refrigerant tubes extending through thecontainers, means for forming a thermo-siphon effect for maintaining acontinuous circulation of brine liquid, means for allowing for theexpansion and contraction of the refrigerant tubes, consisting ofsuitably formed head portions for the ends of the brine solutioncontainers, an opening in the head portions for slidably receiving'therefrigerant tubes, a packing gland loosely mounted on the refrigeranttubes for cooperating with the head portion. I

6. A refrigerator having a storage chamher, a device for cooling thechamber consisting of a plurality of outer containers arranged thereinfor holding a brine solution and for providing a continuouscirculationof brine solution therebetween, refrigerant tubes extending through thecontainers,

means for forming a thermo-siphon effect for maintaining a continuouscirculation of brine liquid, means for allowing for the expansion andcontraction of the refrigerant tubes, con sisting of suitably formedhead portions for the ends of the brine solution containers, an openingin the head portions for slidably receiving the refrigerant tubes, apacking gland loosely mounted on the refrigerant tubes for cooperatingwith the head portions, the packing gland being fastened to the head endportion in some suitable manner.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT TROJAHN.

